Arts in the City: Artists transform park to a party garden

Artwork by Damien Veal for the Griffith garden transformation on May 3.

WITH the theme “Griffith’s Party is Our Garden Suburb”, M16 Artspace tenants and other community members are transforming the garden area now known as Blaxland Park, located between M16 Artspace and the Griffith shops, into a “garden” with large ceramic flowers, forged and welded mild steel critters, “bonsai” sculpture and perspex puzzle cockroaches. The Griffith Butchery will ensure everyone is well fed with organic sausages. All welcome, 12.30pm-4pm, on May 3.

CANBERRA Theatre Centre and the Canberra Labor Club, working together, have this financial year distributed 600 free tickets to local charities, including Barnardos, Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Camp Quality, with more confirmed for shows later in the year. Labor Club vice-president Tony Luchetti says: “It’s all worth it to see the smiles on the faces of those who come to the shows.”

GOOD news for the Australian National Eisteddfod Society is that scientist and arts philanthropist, Sylvia Tulloch, has joined the new board as its president. Tulloch was for many years co-sponsor of the National Aria Competition and combines a good business head with sympathy for the arts.

ROBERT Foster, of F!nk Design, and artist Marie Hagerty are currently exhibiting at Olsen Irwin in Woollahra, Sydney. Though both live and work here, and know each other well around the Canberra arts traps, this is the first time they’ve collaborated in what proves to be an exciting mix of metal art and painterly concepts.

ARTIST-in-residence at Belconnen Arts Centre, Cadi McCarthy, pictured, is staging a “first stage” showing of new contemporary dance-theatre work, “That Place in Between”, on April 25 and 26 at 6.30pm. Somewhat dauntingly, it is said to examine “the many faces we use to keep relationships ‘healthy’, to stay in ‘control’ and keep functioning during pivotal moments of transition”. Tickets at the door.

NEXT up in the High Court’s free Sunday music program is the Latin/gypsy jazz duo The Night Café (flautist-singer Leila Gato and guitarist Michael Dalvean) performing “Manouche et Tango” – tango, salsa, bossa nova, chanson and gypsy swing. Sunday, April 20 at 1pm. Free entry.

CURATOR and choreographer James Batchelor’s latest work, “Island”, is being developed in partnership with Dancehouse in Melbourne and will be seen in The Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, April 30-May 4. Unusually, entry is by donation (“pay as you feel”), but places are limited, so register at canberratheatrecentre.com.au